Cross thread laying apparatus



1951 L. SCHWARTZ ETAL CROSS THREAD LAYING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 30, 1946 Patented Oct. 30, 1951 caoss THREAnLAYfNG,lfigi s riisf. "L'eo Sch'wartz, New York, and Martin S; 'Mansson,'. White Plains, N.- Y., assignors to Automatic;

Sewing Equipment-Cm; Inc., New-York,-N. Y.,.a.. :corporation of New York I eppucati noctqbereo,19 16,sedans-70635 The present invention is directed to sewing machines of the usual type and morep'articularly to a'modification thereof whereby the machine may be adapted to lay cross threads, that-is, to

make a serpentine stitch as well as 'a'straight-l-in'e 5 stitch.

The present invention has among its :objects to provide an attachment fora sewing machine which is operable by the same source ofpower which operates the machine itself and which is capable of superimposing across th'read'upon the ordinary line of stitches formed by the machine.

It is also among the objects of the present in vention to provide a special mechanism operated by the sewing machine sha-ftand-to :provideta means for oscillating a thread-guide withrelation to the needle and thereby form a cross thread.

It is further among the objects :of the present invention to provide a'nattachment for a sewin machine which maybe readilythrown into'opera tive or inoperative position as desired-in. order to introduce or eliminate across thread.

It is still further among the objects of thenpres ent invention to provide amechanism for-laying a cross thread which maybe an attachmentto an existing sewing machine or be an integral part thereof, which is simple inkconstruction, ineii pensive, sturdy and effective in operation and capable of withstanding a long periodof use at i the normally high speeds of commercial'sewing machines.

In practicing the present invention there is provided an ordinary sewing machine mechanism including a needle and instrumentalities usually 5 including a hook or looperwhi'ch forms stitches in fabric passing throughthe machine. Such a machine may be of the-single needle typeor'm'ay be a multipleneedlemachine. There is provided at least one thread guide which is so mounted on the head of the machine or on its bed that it may be oscillated in front of the needle and throwa thread across the-pathof the-stitohes made by said needle; As each portion ofthread is thrownacross the pathof the'fabric being'fed to the needle, it iorms' a-relativel-y :l'oo'se ices which is caught by the next stitch and-is pinned down. Then as the thread guide reverses it's oscillation, it first tightens the thread within-the stitch and then throws a loop -'on the opposite side of the needle which iscau'ght by the next stitch. As this continues,- there is formeda sinu ou line of said threadhr what -is-commonly termed a .cross thread? "Ordinarily this threadie distinctive in color andforincharacter'irorh 'the stitches themselves? and from :the fabric 'so that a pleasing and "contrasting appearance is provided. T

The machine. may he so'faddusted'thatthe ?osci'l= lations of the thread guide may be in anumber of various ratios '1:'e:the--reciprocations of the needles, thus altering": 'theicharacter "of the cross thread formed thereby: Wherea plurality of needles are provided in the 'machine, there may be a correspondingnumber"of oscillatingthread guides and the machinevbe :thus adaptedfo'r'mak ing a, plurality-rofwcross'threads simultaneously.

Usually the mechanism is operated by the main shaft of the sewi'ngrmachine and Pa set of gea-i's is provided at the rear of the sewing machine arm" which cormect's-:bya suitable shaft I and other elements to a link f arrangement.""The thread guide is mounted geneIaily" on the'presser fobt bar by means ofa collarandean ext'ens'ionthereoh holds the guide irr'front 'of the'needle.

In the accompanying drawings'constitutiiig' a part hereof and in:which '-like reference characters indicate liliepartsf Fig. '1 isa' horiz'ontal'cross-sectional view of a device made in acor'darree f'with the present in vention'and adaptedifor producing cross threads, some parts beingshown'inlevation Fig. 2' is a vertical crosshsectional 'view taken through the casingcontaining the bevelled gears and clutch,'som'e DBJTtS' bEiIIg shown broken away and other'part elevation for clearness;

Fig. '3 is a frontel-evational view looking at the head of thesewing machine and Fig. 4--is-a-fragmentary view similar t'o '2 showingthe clutch in disconnecting position.

' The sewing machine -is of the usual type and 'includes-a:bed'l on one side of which is'a'stahdard 2 with ahorizonta1-= arm 3'- t'erminat-ing in head'l. A horizontal -shaft- 5 extends "through arm 3 and has s'ec'uredthereto an extension piece "6 on which the usual fly-wheel-"i of the sewing machine is mounted. 'aElementrfi isan adapter which allows the mechanism "to be placed 'ona sewing machine previ'ou'slybuilt.

Mounted on element area-gear 8 meshing with Said idler may be of non-metallic material'iniorder to provide silent operation. A ithir'd'geai" [-3 extending laterally of arm 3 meshes with gear! I. The set of gears is held within a-ca-sing 9 secured'to the standard 'of the machinez andsprovided with'a removable cover l0 toallow access th'ereto. I

Counter-shaft I 4 'mounted on bracket 1'5 which in turn is s'ecured byset screw IE or the likeal'on'g -arm 3':'of-the machine; Bracket is-ass Washer 2| is on shaft 22 between the lower face I of gear 23 and the upper face of extnsio'n20. Sleeve 24 is slidably mounted on counter-shaft l4 and has an operating knob25 secured thereto. ,15

The end of sleeve 24 adjacent to gear I9 is prowlth any of the usual number of needles provided in sewing machines. Also the cross stitch may be caused to loop through two or more parallel stitches instead of a single line of stitches.

The clutch illustrated in the drawings may be changed to an entirely different type of mechanism for throwing the crossstitch mechanism in or'out. Also the clutch may be entirely omitted and the machine operate continually with a cross stitch. The drive of the cross thread mechanism may be altered so that the power is taken from the looper shaft rather than from the main shaft.

vided with tongues 26 adapted to mesh with corresponding notches 26 in gear I9, A longitudinal I slot 2! in sleeve 24 accommodates a pin28 fixed in shaft l4. clutch so that when knob 25 is at the right as shown in Fig. 4, no motion is transmitted from shaft 14 to shaft 22 and when knob 25 is pushed to the left as shown in Fig. 2, the sets of notches ands-tongues will mesh and gear I9 will drive shaft 22. JAt-the lower endof shaft 22 is a collar 29 carrying extension 39, said collar carrying counterweight 31 opposite extension 30. Link 32 has one endeccentrically mounted at 33 on extension 30. Presser-foot bar 34 operates within bushing 35 in head 40f the sewing machine. A collar '36 is fitted loosely around said bushing and a collar bearing .31 is fixed to bar 34 by set screw ,38. Presser-foot 39 is secured to bar 34 below the 531118.. .1 An angular connector 40 integral with or fixed tocollar 3S'has a bent arm 4| extending in front of.-..the sewing machine instrumentalities. As shown in Fig. 1, it has a pair of tubular guides 42 and 43 secured within the same, said tubes extending down in front of the needles 44 and close 7 tothe bed I of the machine. Said needles are mounted as usual on needle bars 45;

1 An extension 46 integralwith collar 36 provides a pivot 41 to. which thefree end of link 32 is secured. In order to provide a thread guide there is mounted at 49 on the top of arm 3, an angular rod 48 having a pair of openings 50 therein. "Thread from a suitable source passes through said guide openings 50 and through guides 42 and 43 in front of the needles.

1 In the operation of the device knob 25 is moved to the left and the machine is started. As fabric is fed through the machine needles 44 make the usual stitches therein. By action of extension 30, link.32, extension 46 and connector 40, guides 42 and 43v are caused tooscillate from one side of their respective needles to the other'side. As such motions take place, the thread 5| being fed through the guides is pinned by the stitches. Thereby a cross thread is formed.

Although the invention has been described set-- ting-fortha single embodiment of the invention, many changes in the details of the construction may be .made'within the spirit of the invention. Forinstance, usually there is one oscillation of a thread guide for two reciprocations of the needle soIthatone cross thread is formed for every two illustrated, the machine is capable of operating This arrangement operates as a In such case, the bracket l5 may be omitted and easing I! or its equivalent may be mounted on bed I.

' v From the above, it will be apparent that numerous variations in the details of the mechanism may be made within, the principles herein set forthand therefore the invention is to be broadly construed and .not to be limited except by the character of the .claims appended hereto.

:We claim:

1. In a cross thread laying machine havinga bed, an overhanging arm thereon, ahead at the free end of said arm, a needle, a needle bar carrying said needle, said needle bar being mounted in said head andmean for reciprocating the same to form stitches in fabric, a thread guide in front of said needle and adjacent thereto, a presser-foot bar mounted in said head; rearwardly of said needle, the improvement which comprises an angular connector pivoted on said presser bar for horizontal movement, said guide being secured to said connector, a rearward extension on said connector, a link pivoted at one end to said extensionand at the other end to a second extension, a collar on Which said second extension is mounted, a counterweight on said collar opposite to said second extension, a box having gearing connected to said collar, and drivin means for horizontally rotating said second extension to cause oscillation of said connector about said presser bar as a center and a clutch mounted on said box for coupling the gearing therein to said driving means to rotate saidsecand extension.

' 2. In a cross thread laying machine having a bed, an overhanging arm thereon, a head at the free end of said arm, a needle, a needle bar car.- rying said needle, said needle bar being mounted in said head and means including a horizontal main shaft in said arm for reciprocating the same to form stitches in fabric, a thread guide in front of said needle and adjacent thereto, a presserfoot bar mounted in said head rearwardly of said needle, the improvement which comprises an angular connector pivoted on said presser bar for horizontal movement, said guide being secured to said connector, a rearward extension on said connector, a link pivoted at one end to said extension and at the other end to a second extension, and means for horizontally rotating said second extension to cause oscillation of said connector about said presser bar as acenter from side to side and across thefrontof said needle, a box containing a pair of meshing gears on the side of 3. In a cross thread laying machine having a bed, an overhanging arm thereon, a head at the free end of said arm, a needle, a needle bar carrying said needle, said needle bar being mounted in said head and means including a horizontal main shaft in said arm for reciprocating the same to form stitches in fabric, a thread guide in front of said needle and adjacent thereto, a presserfoot bar mounted in said head rearwardly of said needle, the improvement which comprises an angular connector pivoted on said presser bar for horizontal movement, said guide being secured to said connector, a rearward extension on said connector, a link pivoted at one end to said exten sion and at the otherend to a second extension, and means for horizontally rotating said second extension to cause oscillation of said connector about said presser bar as a center from side to side and across the front of said needle, a box containing a pair of meshing gears on the side of said arm, a vertical shaft connected to one of said gears extending downwardly therefrom and connected to said second extension, 2. countershaft paralle1 to and driven by said main shaft and disposed adjacent to the side of said arm, said counter-shaft loosely mounting the second gear, said main shaft extending out of the rear of said arm, an extension piece on the end of said main shaft, gearing on said piece and connected with said counter-shaft and a clutch mounted on said box for coupling said second gear therein to said counter-shaft to rotate said extension.

4. In a cross thread laying machine having a bed, an overhanging arm thereon, a head at the free end of said arm, a needle, a needle bar carrying said needle, said needle bar being mounted in said head and means including a horizontal main shaft in said arm for reciprocating the same to form stitches in fabric, a thread guide in front of said needle and adjacent thereto, a presserfoot bar mounted in said head rearwardly of said needle, the improvement which comprises an angular connector pivoted on said presser bar for horizontal movement, said guide being secured to said connector, a rearward extension on said connector, a link pivoted at one end to said extension and at the other end to a second extension, and means for horizontally rotating said extension to cause oscillation of said connector about said presser bar as a center from side to side and across the front of said needle, a box containing a pair of meshing gears on the side of said arm, a vertical shaft connected to one of said gears extending downwardly therefrom and connected to said second extension, a counter-shaft parallel to and driven by said main shaft and disposed adjacent to the side of said arm, said counter-shaft loosely mounting the second gear, said main shaft extending out of the rear of said arm, a gear casing secured to said arm and containing the ends of said main and counter-shafts, and a set of gears in said casing connecting said shafts and a clutch mounted on said box for coupling said second gear therein to said countershaft to rotate said extension.

LEO SCHWARTZ. MARTIN S. MANSSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 583,387 Munsing May 25, 1897 716,338 Laubscher Dec. 16, 1902 767,688 Grifiiths Aug. 16, 1904 773,653 Laubscher Nov. 1, 1904 1,327,348 Moffatt Jan. 6, 1920 1,961,270 Weis et al. June 5, 1934 2,010,574 Weis Aug. 6, 1935 

